USA Defeats Canada 6–2 to Win Para Ice Hockey Gold at Milano Cortina 2026, Sets Record Attendance

The United States asserted its dominance in Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey by completing a remarkable hat trick of victories over archrival Canada. In the third and final showdown between the two North American powers, the United States defeated Canada 6–2 to secure its 13th gold medal in the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games on Sunday.

Earlier, at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the United States had also captured both the men’s and women’s ice hockey titles, defeating Canada in the gold medal matches in each event.

The Para ice hockey final, the last gold medal contest of the Games, drew the largest crowd ever recorded for an Olympic or Paralympic ice hockey event. The match underscored the growing popularity of the sport and the strong public response to the Para ice hockey tournament at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

A total of 11,500 spectators filled the arena for the final between the United States and Canada, setting a new all-time attendance record for the sport in the history of the Paralympic Winter Games.

The closely contested match kept spectators engaged throughout, with momentum shifting repeatedly as both teams created scoring opportunities. The United States capitalized on its chances, while Canada saw several attempts narrowly miss the target or be effectively defended.

The attendance figure surpassed the previous record set during the preliminary round match between the United States and Italy, which had drawn nearly 9,000 spectators. The turnout highlighted the strong public engagement at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, which has emerged as one of the symbolic venues of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

The atmosphere at the arena has remained vibrant throughout the tournament. School groups, families, international supporters, and enthusiastic volunteers created an energetic environment that transformed each match into a memorable experience for fans and athletes alike.

“The new attendance record for the Para Ice Hockey final is a very strong signal of the enthusiasm and attention surrounding these Paralympic Games,” said Andrea Varnier, CEO of Milano Cortina 2026. “Seeing more than eleven thousand spectators in the stands for a Paralympic final shows that the public’s interest stems from the strength and quality of this discipline and from its ability to generate excitement. This is a legacy that goes beyond the numbers and marks the beginning of an enduring transformation in sports culture.”

The milestone achieved by the USA–Canada final reflects the growing appeal of para ice hockey, widely regarded as one of the most dynamic and competitive disciplines in the Paralympic program. It also reinforces the broader success of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

With the Para ice hockey gold, the United States maintained its second-place position in the overall medals tally with 24 medals, including 13 gold. China remained at the top of the standings with a total of 44 medals, including 15 gold.

Despite losing all three ice hockey finals at the Games, Canada finished eighth overall in the medals table with three gold, four silver, and eight bronze medals.

Chinese para-athletes delivered a particularly dominant performance in men’s 20 km slalom freestanding, sweeping the podium as Wang Chenyang won gold, Huang Lingxin secured silver, and Liu Xiaobin took bronze.

In Para ice hockey, following a closely fought semifinal defeat, China secured the bronze medal with a 3–2 victory over Czechia.

Host nation Italy celebrated a gold medal in the men’s slalom VI event through Giacomo Betagnolli. Russia also marked a strong return to the Paralympic stage, finishing third in the medals table with eight gold medals and 12 overall. Aleksai Bugaev added to the tally with gold in the men’s 20 km slalom standing event.

The United States also earned gold in the men’s slalom 20 km visually impaired category when Jake Adicoff delivered the country’s 12th gold medal of the Games.